Little Bear is based on the children's book series by Else Holmelund Minarik, illustrated by Maurice Sendak, and both creators were closely involved in developing new stories for the show.

Production on the animated series began in late 1994, and it premiered in Canada on CBC Television on October 7, 1995, and in the US on Nickelodeon's Nick Jr. block on November 6, 1995.

The Canadian broadcast used Austrian composer Franz Schubert's Allegro vivace from his Violin Sonata No. 1 in D Major as the theme tune, while the American broadcast used a separate opening theme composed by Arnold Black featuring woodwinds, strings, harp, and piano.

The series' overall music score was composed by Lesley Barber.

The song 'Great Big World', featured in the 2001 direct-to-video film The Little Bear Movie, was nominated for Best Original Song at the 2001 Video Premiere Awards.

In 2007, the series was adapted into a live theatrical show called Little Bear: Winter Tales, which toured across Canada and returned for a second tour in late 2009.

In 1999 and 2000, The Learning Company developed several edutainment video games based on the franchise, including 'Rainy Day Activities', 'Preschool Thinking Adventures', 'Kindergarten Thinking Adventures', and 'Toddler Discovery Adventures'.